World Parkinson’s Day – on April 11th is to shine a light on Parkinson’s disease and encourage everyone to get behind this disease and support and understand. Please take the time, effort and interest in learning more of this disease by either supporting Dad and his Parkinson's or supporting this very important Day to raise money for research.

Many people associate the disease with an elderly relative or the odd celebrity on TV. The majority of the population understand it to be ‘just the shakes’. The reality is much different and frustrating.

• Parkinson’s is the second most common neurological disease in Australia after dementia.
• The disease affects an estimated 10 million individuals worldwide – 100,000 in Australia.
• 30 Aussies are diagnosed with the disease every day.
• 20% of sufferers are under 50 years old and 10% are diagnosed before the age of 40.
• The number of people with Parkinson’s has increased by 17% .

For comparison purposes the prevalence of Parkinson’s is greater than prostate, bowel and many other forms of cancer and the total number of Parkinson’s sufferers is 4 times the number of people suffering with MS.

World Parkinson’s Day puts Parkinson’s in the spotlight and offers Shake It Up Australia supporters a chance to raise much needed funds for Parkinson’s research.

Pretty Scary.